West Yorkshire police chief will not face bribery charges in Northern Ireland

Chief Constsble of West Yorkshire Police Mark Gilmore

Published:13:37Wednesday 15 April 2015

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West Yorkshire’s top police officer will not face prosecution in his native Northern Ireland as part of a probe over alleged bribery and misconduct, it emerged today.

Mark Gilmore was suspended as chief constable last June after an investigation was launched into claims he was involved in the alleged corrupt award of police vehicle contracts.

In December it emerged that the province’s Public Prosecution Service had been given a file by detectives investigating the allegations.

A spokeswoman said: “We are still considering a number of individuals but we have taken a ‘no prosecution’ decision against one individual, that is Mark Gilmore.

“The reason is that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of prosecution.”

Mr Gilmore, who grew up in Belfast and spent most of his career there, was one of several officers facing claims including bribery, misconduct in public office and procuring misconduct in public office.

He was suspended on full pay by West Yorkshire’s police and crime commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson in June – a little over a year after his appointment – after details of the investigation came to light.

At the time Mr Burns-Williamson said the suspension was “a necessity in the public interest until the full facts have been established”. Dee Collins took over as Temporary Chief Constable.

It was revealed in December that Mr Gilmore had been paid nearly £90,000 by West Yorkshire Police while suspended. He has not had use of his company car and had to hand over IT equipment, including mobile phones, following his suspension.